How does adding vanilla extract help make a milkshake if the ice cream is already vanilla?
I recently purchased a professional-style milkshake mixer, and some recipes I've researched say that adding ice cream is a must for making shakes, along with adding a few drops of milk. But some of them also say to add vanilla extract as well, usually a drop or two.
What's the purpose of adding more vanilla to the shake if the ice cream is already vanilla? Wouldn't it just make sense to skip that and add any other flavour, or keep the ice cream and milk flavour intact?
Best Answer
Fundamentally the answer is just 'it is added for flavour; you can skip it if you want'. A few suggestions as to why it might be a good decision to add it:
- Vanilla flavour can be stronger or weaker, and it might be that the recipe writer prefers their milkshake to have a stronger vanilla flavour than the ice cream they buy.
- Depending on how much milk is being added, this will dilute the ice cream flavour a little, so more vanilla could be added to compensate.
- The flavour profile of the ice cream changes as it melts, because some flavours are subdued in a very cold product (in particular, the sweetness is reduced a little, which is why melted ice-cream or ice lollies are often surprisingly sweet; more sugar is needed so that the frozen product still tastes sweet). It might be that when the ice cream is no longer solid the balance is 'off', so more vanilla is needed.
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Quick Answer about "How does adding vanilla extract help make a milkshake if the ice cream is already vanilla?"
Can I put vanilla extract in my ice cream?
Using a combination of heavy cream and whole milk gives the ideal balance of butterfat to create rich, smooth ice cream. Pure vanilla extract will yield the best flavor. Avoid using imitation vanilla or an alternative as their flavors cannot compete.What does vanilla extract do in ice cream?
How Does Vanilla Extract Help My Ice Cream? Vanilla extract is primarily a flavor additive. If you were to make ice cream without vanilla extract and compare it to ice cream made with vanilla extract, you would notice a considerable difference in flavor.How do you make a thick vanilla milkshake with ice cream?
Use 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup ice cream to prepare a thick milkshake. For variation, garnish it with whipped cream and sprinkle chocolate vermicelli over it....More Milkshake RecipesIs adding vanilla extract do?
This ingredient is used in almost every recipe for baked goods because of the fabulous taste it adds. Vanilla extract is always added to desserts because it chemically adds more flavor, and it also brings out the flavors of other ingredients in the mixture.Products You Will Never Eat After Watching This Video
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Answer 2
If the ice cream is vanilla already, I don't see any reason to add more vanilla. But sometimes vanilla can be a type of flavor enhancer for other flavors of ice cream, like chocolate. So they may be suggesting you add a bit of vanilla to enhance some other non-vanilla flavors. But that's all just personal preference for what you think tastes good, so go with what you like.
Answer 3
Vanilla sometimes means plain flavoured
In Ireland and England the vanilla ice cream in the supermarket is usually unflavoured rather than vanilla.
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This stuff is pure white and tastes of milk and sugar. If this is the vanilla you are using, your milkshake will also be plain flavour unless you add some extract.
You don't need extract if you have a real vanilla ice cream. This stuff is off yellow and sometimes has tiny black vanilla seeds in it. For a vanilla milkshake, this stuff is much nicer and more flavourful than the plain ice-cream.
Over here it is marketed as French Vanilla or Madagascan Vanilla. For a vanilla milkshake I'd recommend not adding extract, as you might get an artificial chemical taste.
Plain ice-cream is good for milkshakes if you want to add flavour separately. For example a raspberry milkshake made of fresh raspberries and plain ice cream
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